तस्यास्थिभिर्महाघोरं वज्रं संक्रियतां दृढं। महच्छत्रुहनं दिव्यं तदस्त्रमशनिः स्मृतं
"From his bones, let a mighty and terrible thunderbolt be fashioned, firm and divine, a weapon famed as the lightning bolt, destroyer of great enemies."
तेन वज्रेण वै वृत्रं वधिष्यति शतक्रतुः। एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं तस्मात्सर्वं विधीयतां
"With that thunderbolt, Śatakratu will slay Vṛtra; all this I have told you—therefore, let everything be done accordingly."
एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा अनुज्ञाप्य पितामहं। शतक्रतुं पुरस्कृत्य दधीचेराश्रमं ययुः
Thus addressed, the gods, having taken leave of the Grandfather, set out for Dadhīci's hermitage, led by Śatakratu.
सरस्वत्याः परे पारे नानाद्रुमलतावृतं। षट्पदोद्गीतनिनदैरुद्घुष्टं सामगैरिव
On the far shore of the Sarasvatī, covered with various trees and creepers, resounded with the buzzing of bees, as if filled with the chants of Sāma singers.
पुंस्कोकिलरवोन्मिश्रं जीवं जीवकनादितम्। महिषैश्च वराहैश्च सृमरैश्चमरैरपि
The living beings, whose cries mingled with the calls of male cuckoos and jīvaka birds, together with buffaloes, boars, deer, and antelopes—
तत्रतत्रानुचरितैः शार्दूलभयवर्जितैः। करेणुभिर्वारणैश्च प्रभिन्नकरटामुखैः
Here and there, elephants and tuskers, unafraid of tigers, wandered about, their trunks and mouths wide open.
स्वरोद्गारैश्च क्रीडद्भिः समंतादनुनादितं। सिंहव्याघ्रैर्महानादं नदद्भिरनुनादितं
The area resounded all around with the calls of playful animals and the mighty roars of lions and tigers.
मयूरैश्चापि संलीनैर्गुहाकंदरवासिभिः। तेषु तेषु च कुंजेषु नादितं सुमनोरमं
Peacocks, too, hidden in caves and mountain hollows, filled those groves with their most delightful cries.
त्रिविष्टपसमप्रख्यं दधीच्याश्रममागमन्। तत्रापश्यन्दधीचिं तं दिवाकरसमप्रभम्
Arriving at the hermitage of Dadhīci, which was as splendid as heaven itself, they saw Dadhīci shining like the sun.
जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा यथा लक्ष्म्या चतुर्भुजम्। तस्य पादौ सुरा राजन्नभिवंद्य प्रणम्य च। अयाचंत वरं सर्वे यथोक्तं परमेष्ठिना
Blazing with radiance, four-armed like Lakṣmī, the gods, O King, bowed at his feet and, after prostrating, each requested the boon as instructed by Brahmā.
ततो दधीचिः परमप्रतीतः सुरोत्तमांस्तानिदमित्युवाच। करोमि यद्वो हितमद्य देवाः स्वं वापि देहं त्वहमुत्सृजामि
Then Dadhīci, greatly pleased, spoke to those foremost gods: 'Today, O gods, I shall do what is for your good, or else I shall relinquish my own body.'
तानेवमुक्त्वा द्विपदां वरिष्ठः प्राणांस्ततोऽसौ सहसोत्ससर्ज। सुरास्तदस्थीनि सवासवास्ते यथोपयोगं जगृहुः स्म तस्य
Having spoken thus to them, the best of men at once gave up his life; the gods, along with Indra, took his bones for their intended purpose.
प्रहृष्टरूपाश्च जयाय देवास्त्वष्टारमासाद्य तमर्थमूचुः। त्वष्टा तु तेषां वचनं निशम्य प्रहृष्टरूपः प्रयतः प्रयत्नात्
The gods, their forms radiant with joy, approached Tvaṣṭṛ for victory and spoke their request; Tvaṣṭṛ, hearing their words, gladly and diligently—
चकार वज्रं भृशमुग्रवीर्यं कृत्वा च शस्त्रं तमुवाच हृष्टः। अनेन शस्त्रप्रवरेण देव भस्मीकुरुष्वाद्य सुरारिमुग्रं
Made a thunderbolt of immense and fierce power, and, delighted, said: 'With this supreme weapon, O god, destroy today the terrible enemy of the gods.'
ततो हतारिः सगणः सुखं त्वं प्रशाधि कृत्स्नं त्रिदिवं दिविष्ठः। त्वष्ट्रा तथोक्तस्तु पुरंदरश्च वज्रं प्रहृष्टः प्रयतो ह्यगृह्णात्
'Then, having slain the foe and his host, rule happily over all of heaven, O Indra.' Thus addressed by Tvaṣṭṛ, Purandara joyfully and with devotion accepted the thunderbolt.
ततः स वज्रेणयुतो दैवतैरभिपूजितः। आससाद ततो वृत्रं स्थितमावृत्य रोदसी
Then, armed with the thunderbolt and honored by the gods, he approached Vṛtra, who stood blocking the heavens and the earth.
कालकेयैर्महाकायैस्समंतादभिरक्षितं। समुद्यत प्रहरणैः सशृंगैरिव पर्वतैः
Guarded on all sides by the mighty-bodied Kālakeyas, who were armed and raised like mountains with horns.
ततो युद्धं समभवद्देवानां सह दानवैः। मुहूर्तं भरतश्रेष्ठ लोकत्रासकरं महत्
Then a great battle arose between the gods and the demons, O best of Bharatas, terrifying the worlds for a moment.
उद्यतैः प्रतिसृष्टानां खड्गानां वीरबाहुभिः। आसीत्सुतुमुलः शब्दः शरीरैरभिपाटितैः
With swords raised and hurled by heroic arms, there arose a tumultuous sound as bodies were struck down.
शिरोभिः प्रपतद्भिश्चाप्यंतरिक्षान्महीतलं। तालैरिव महीपाल वृतं तैरेव दृश्यते
Heads fell from the sky to the earth, O king, and the ground appeared covered with them, like palm trees.
ते हेमकवचा भूत्वा कालेयाः परिघायुधाः। त्रिदशानभ्यवर्तन्त दावदग्धा इव द्रुमाः
The Kālakeyas, clad in golden armor and wielding iron clubs, advanced upon the gods like trees scorched by a forest fire.
तेषां वेगवतां वेगं सहितानां प्रधावताम्। न शेकुः सहिताः सोढुं भग्नास्ते प्राद्रवन्भयात्
The gods could not withstand the force of those united, swift-moving foes; broken, they fled in fear.
तान्दृष्ट्वा द्रवतो भीतान्सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः। वृत्रं च वर्द्धमानं तु कश्मलं महदाविशत्
Seeing them fleeing in fear, Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, was seized by great distress as Vritra grew in power.
तं शक्रं कश्मलाविष्टं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुः सनातनः। स्वतेजो व्यदधाच्छक्रे बलमस्य विवर्धयन्
Beholding Indra overcome by distress, the eternal Vishnu infused his own energy into him, greatly increasing his strength.
विष्णुनाप्यायितं शक्रं दृष्ट्वादे वगणास्तदा। सर्वे तेजस्समादध्युस्तथा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽमलाः
When the hosts of gods saw Indra invigorated by Vishnu, all of them, along with the pure Brahmarshis, endowed him with their energy as well.
स समाप्यायितः शक्रो विष्णुना दैवतैः सह। ऋषिभिश्च महाभागैर्बलवान्समपद्यत
Thus, empowered by Vishnu, the gods, and the great sages, Indra became mighty.
ज्ञात्वा बलस्थं त्रिदशाधिपं तं ननाद वृत्रस्सुमहानि नादम्। तस्य प्रणादेन धरा दिशश्च खं द्यौर्नगाश्चेति चचाल सर्वं
Realizing that the lord of the gods was now strong, Vritra roared with a tremendous sound; at his cry, the earth, directions, sky, heavens, and mountains all trembled.
ततो महेंद्रः परमाभितप्तः श्रुत्वा रवं घोरतरं महांतम्। भयेन मग्नस्त्वरितं मुमोच वज्रं महान्तं खलु तस्य शीर्षे
Then Mahendra, deeply tormented and hearing that terrible, immense roar, was overcome by fear and swiftly hurled his great thunderbolt at Vritra's head.
स शक्रवज्राभिहतः पपात महास्वनः कांचनमाल्यधारी। यथा महाशैलवरः पुरस्तात्स मंदरो विष्णुकरात्प्रमुक्तः
Struck by Indra's thunderbolt, Vritra fell with a mighty crash, adorned with golden garlands, just as the great Mandara mountain once fell from Vishnu's hand.
तस्मिन्हते दैत्यवरे भयार्तः शक्रः प्रदुद्राव सरः प्रवेष्टुं। वज्रं च मेने स्वकरात्प्रमुक्तं वृत्रं भयाच्चैव हतं न पश्यति
With that chief of the Daityas slain, Indra, gripped by fear, fled to enter a lake, thinking he had cast his thunderbolt and, out of fear, did not see Vritra slain.